The Experts below are selected from a list of 132846 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Govinda R. Timilsina - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Economic Impacts of Biofuels
The Impacts of Biofuels on the Economy Environment and Poverty, 2014Co-Authors: Govinda R. TimilsinaAbstract:The impacts of Biofuels are not limited to Biofuel industry and the agriculture sector, they spill over throughout an economy due to the inter-linkages between production sectors. The impacts are also felt across the borders through the international trade. For example, EU’s mandate on Biofuels could boost Brazil and Indonesia’s economy. Using global macroeconomic models, particularly, computable general equilibrium (CGE) models, a number of studies have assessed economic impacts of EU’s or global mandates on Biofuels (e.g., Timilsina et al. 2012; Hertel et al. 2010; Kretschmer et al. 2010). While a single Biofuel project implemented in a country may not have economic impacts at a scale noticeable at a national and an international level, a large group of projects or a Biofuel policy aiming a large-scale expansion of Biofuels would certainly have significant economic impacts at country level if not at global level. For example, Timilsina et al. (2012) finds that if the Biofuel mandates and targets announced by the 40 plus countries around the world are executed by 2020 thereby increasing the share of Biofuels in the global liquid fuel demand for transportation to 9 % from the current level of 3 %, various countries or regions would exhibit significant difference in their economic impacts ranging from 0.23 % loss of GDP in India to 0.05 % increase in GDP in Thailand. However, at the global level the impact was fairly modest (0.02 %) compared to that in the baseline. Similarly, Kretschmer et al. (2009) find a 10 % EU-wide Biofuel mandate not causing a noticeable change in aggregate welfare of EU countries compared to a reference scenario where EU meets its 20 % GHG mitigation targets without Biofuel mandate. However, the welfare impacts differ significantly across EU countries with some countries gaining, while others loosing.
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status and barriers of advanced Biofuel technologies a review
Renewable Energy, 2011Co-Authors: Jay J Cheng, Govinda R. TimilsinaAbstract:Development of Biofuels from renewable resources is critical to the sustainability of the world’s economy and to slow down the global climate change. Currently, a significant amount of bioethanol and biodiesel are produced as Biofuels to partially replace gasoline and diesel, respectively, in the transportation sector worldwide. However, these Biofuels represent a tiny portion (<4%) of the total fuels consumed. Furthermore, bioethanol is produced predominantly from sugarcane and corn, and biodiesel from crop and plant oils. Production of these raw materials is competing for the limited arable land against food and feed production. It is not feasible to tremendously increase Biofuel production using the current technologies. Therefore, it is critical to investigate advanced or 2nd generation Biofuel production technologies. This article is trying to summarize the current status of the 2nd generation Biofuel technologies including bioethanol from lignocellulosic materials and biodiesel from microalgae. The summary includes the descriptions of the technologies, their advantages and challenges, feedstocks for the 2nd generation Biofuels, the key barriers to their commercial applications, and future perspectives of the advanced technologies.
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Oil price, Biofuels and food supply
Energy Policy, 2011Co-Authors: Govinda R. Timilsina, Simon Mevel, Ashish ShresthaAbstract:The price of oil could play a significant role in influencing the expansion of Biofuels, but this issue has yet to be fully investigated in the literature. Using a global computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, this study analyzes the impact of oil price on Biofuel expansion, and subsequently, on food supply. The study shows that a 65% increase in oil price in 2020 from the 2009 level would increase the global Biofuel penetration to 5.4% in 2020 from 2.4% in 2009. If oil prices rise 150% from their 2009 levels by 2020, the resulting penetration of Biofuels would be 9%, which is higher than that would be caused by current mandates and targets introduced in more than forty countries around the world. The study also shows that aggregate agricultural output drops due to an oil price increase, but the drop is small in major Biofuel producing countries as the expansion of Biofuels would partially offset the negative impacts of the oil price increase on agricultural outputs. An increase in oil price would reduce global food supply through direct impacts as well as through the diversion of food commodities and cropland towards the production of Biofuels. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
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Biofuels : Markets, Targets And Impacts - Biofuels: Markets, Targets and Impacts
Policy Research Working Papers, 2010Co-Authors: Govinda R. Timilsina, Ashish ShresthaAbstract:This paper reviews recent developments in Biofuel markets and their economic, social and environmental impacts. Several countries have introduced mandates and targets for Biofuel expansion. Production, international trade and investment have increased sharply in the past few years. However, several existing studies have blamed Biofuels as one of the key factors behind the 2007-2008 global food crisis, although the magnitudes of impacts in these studies vary widely depending on the underlying assumptions and structure of the models. Existing studies also have huge disparities in the magnitude of long-term impacts of Biofuels on food prices and supply; studies that model only the agricultural sector show higher impacts, whereas studies that model the entire economy show relatively lower impacts. In terms of climate change mitigation impacts, there exists a consensus that current Biofuels lead to greenhouse gas mitigation only when greenhouse gas emissions related to land-use change are not counted. If conversion of carbon rich forest land to crop land is not avoided, the resulting greenhouse gas release would mean that Biofuels would not reduce cumulative greenhouse gas emissions until several years had passed. Overall, results from most of the existing literature do not favor diversion of food for large-scale production of Biofuels, although regulated production of Biofuels in countries with surplus land and a strong Biofuel industry are not ruled out. Developments in second generation Biofuels offer some hope, yet they still compete with food supply through land use and are currently constrained by a number of technical and economic barriers.
Edgard Gnansounou - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Social Assessment of Biofuels
Biofuels: Alternative Feedstocks and Conversion Processes for the Production of Liquid and Gaseous Biofuels, 2019Co-Authors: Edgard Gnansounou, Catarina M. AlvesAbstract:Abstract In the last decade, several authors have addressed the social issues of Biofuels in a more or less systematic manner covering several geographical contexts around the globe, types of feedstock, products and coproducts, and targeting different groups of stakeholders. The methodology most developed and applied to Biofuels projects so far is the social life cycle assessment. In turn, the most advanced tool for general data analysis is the social hotspot database. The majority of the Biofuel scenarios under evaluation present oil-bearing crops or lignocellulosic residues as the main feedstock. Bioethanol figures the largest number of social studies. In brief, the key social benefits of Biofuels are related to employment, workforce training and education, income generation, and rural development. On the other hand, in case of lack of social management along the Biofuel chains, negative outcomes are the disrespect for the smallholder and rural community rights, the poor working conditions along the Biofuel supply chains, the existence of migrant workers with precarious living conditions and finally, the issues related to land use and rights.
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Impact of agricultural-based Biofuel production on greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change: Key modelling choices
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015Co-Authors: Luis Panichelli, Edgard GnansounouAbstract:Recent regulations on Biofuels require reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions related to feedstock-specific Biofuels. However, the inclusion of GHG emissions from land-use change (LUC) into law and policy remains a subject of active discussion, with LUC-GHG emissions an issue of intense research. This article identifies key modelling choices for assessing the impact of Biofuel production on LUC-GHG emissions. The identification of these modelling choices derives from evaluation and critical comparison of models from commonly accepted Biofuels-LUC-GHG modelling approaches. The selection and comparison of models were intended to cover factors related to production of agricultural-based Biofuel, provision of land for feedstock, and GHG emissions from land-use conversion. However, some fundamental modelling issues are common to all stages of assessment and require resolution, including choice of scale and spatial coverage, approach to accounting for time, and level of aggregation. It is argued here that significant improvements have been made to address LUC-GHG emissions from Biofuels. Several models have been created, adapted, coupled, and integrated, but room for improvement remains in representing LUC-GHG emissions from specific Biofuel production pathways, as follows: more detailed and integrated modelling of Biofuel supply chains; more complete modelling of policy frameworks, accounting for forest dynamics and other drivers of LUC; more heterogeneous modelling of spatial patterns of LUC and associated GHG emissions; and clearer procedures for accounting for the time-dependency of variables. It is concluded that coupling the results of different models is a convenient strategy for addressing effects with different time and space scales. In contrast, model integration requires unified scales and time approaches to provide generalised representations of the system. Guidelines for estimating and reporting LUC-GHG emissions are required to help modellers to define the most suitable approaches and policy makers to better understand the complex impacts of agricultural-based Biofuel production.
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cyanobacteria and microalgae a positive prospect for Biofuels
Bioresource Technology, 2011Co-Authors: Asha Parmar, Edgard Gnansounou, Niraj Kumar Singh, Ashok Pandey, Datta MadamwarAbstract:Biofuel–bioenergy production has generated intensive interest due to increased concern regarding limited petroleum-based fuel supplies and their contribution to atmospheric CO2 levels. Biofuel research is not just a matter of finding the right type of biomass and converting it to fuel, but it must also be economically sustainable on large-scale. Several aspects of cyanobacteria and microalgae such as oxygenic photosynthesis, high per-acre productivity, non-food based feedstock, growth on non-productive and non-arable land, utilization of wide variety of water sources (fresh, brackish, seawater and wastewater) and production of valuable co-products along with Biofuels have combined to capture the interest of researchers and entrepreneurs. Currently, worldwide Biofuels mainly in focus include biohydrogen, bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas. This review focuses on cultivation and harvesting of cyanobacteria and microalgae, possible Biofuels and co-products, challenges for cyanobacterial and microalgal Biofuels and the approaches of genetic engineering and modifications to increase Biofuel production.
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Cyanobacteria and microalgae: A positive prospect for Biofuels
Bioresource Technology, 2011Co-Authors: Asha Parmar, Edgard Gnansounou, Niraj Kumar Singh, Ashok Pandey, Datta MadamwarAbstract:Biofuel-bioenergy production has generated intensive interest due to increased concern regarding limited petroleum-based fuel supplies and their contribution to atmospheric CO 2 levels. Biofuel research is not just a matter of finding the right type of biomass and converting it to fuel, but it must also be economically sustainable on large-scale. Several aspects of cyanobacteria and microalgae such as oxygenic photosynthesis, high per-acre productivity, non-food based feedstock, growth on non-productive and non-arable land, utilization of wide variety of water sources (fresh, brackish, seawater and wastewater) and production of valuable co-products along with Biofuels have combined to capture the interest of researchers and entrepreneurs. Currently, worldwide Biofuels mainly in focus include biohydrogen, bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas. This review focuses on cultivation and harvesting of cyanobacteria and microalgae, possible Biofuels and co-products, challenges for cyanobacterial and microalgal Biofuels and the approaches of genetic engineering and modifications to increase Biofuel production. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Datta Madamwar - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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cyanobacteria and microalgae a positive prospect for Biofuels
Bioresource Technology, 2011Co-Authors: Asha Parmar, Edgard Gnansounou, Niraj Kumar Singh, Ashok Pandey, Datta MadamwarAbstract:Biofuel–bioenergy production has generated intensive interest due to increased concern regarding limited petroleum-based fuel supplies and their contribution to atmospheric CO2 levels. Biofuel research is not just a matter of finding the right type of biomass and converting it to fuel, but it must also be economically sustainable on large-scale. Several aspects of cyanobacteria and microalgae such as oxygenic photosynthesis, high per-acre productivity, non-food based feedstock, growth on non-productive and non-arable land, utilization of wide variety of water sources (fresh, brackish, seawater and wastewater) and production of valuable co-products along with Biofuels have combined to capture the interest of researchers and entrepreneurs. Currently, worldwide Biofuels mainly in focus include biohydrogen, bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas. This review focuses on cultivation and harvesting of cyanobacteria and microalgae, possible Biofuels and co-products, challenges for cyanobacterial and microalgal Biofuels and the approaches of genetic engineering and modifications to increase Biofuel production.
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Cyanobacteria and microalgae: A positive prospect for Biofuels
Bioresource Technology, 2011Co-Authors: Asha Parmar, Edgard Gnansounou, Niraj Kumar Singh, Ashok Pandey, Datta MadamwarAbstract:Biofuel-bioenergy production has generated intensive interest due to increased concern regarding limited petroleum-based fuel supplies and their contribution to atmospheric CO 2 levels. Biofuel research is not just a matter of finding the right type of biomass and converting it to fuel, but it must also be economically sustainable on large-scale. Several aspects of cyanobacteria and microalgae such as oxygenic photosynthesis, high per-acre productivity, non-food based feedstock, growth on non-productive and non-arable land, utilization of wide variety of water sources (fresh, brackish, seawater and wastewater) and production of valuable co-products along with Biofuels have combined to capture the interest of researchers and entrepreneurs. Currently, worldwide Biofuels mainly in focus include biohydrogen, bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas. This review focuses on cultivation and harvesting of cyanobacteria and microalgae, possible Biofuels and co-products, challenges for cyanobacterial and microalgal Biofuels and the approaches of genetic engineering and modifications to increase Biofuel production. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Paolo Dodorico - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the water land food nexus of first generation Biofuels
Scientific Reports, 2016Co-Authors: Maria Cristina Rulli, Davide Bellomi, Andrea Cazzoli, Giulia De Carolis, Paolo DodoricoAbstract:Recent energy security strategies, investment opportunities and energy policies have led to an escalation in Biofuel consumption at the expenses of food crops and pastureland. To evaluate the important impacts of Biofuels on food security, the food-energy nexus needs to be investigated in the context of its linkages with the overall human appropriation of land and water resources. Here we provide a global assessment of Biofuel crop production, reconstruct global patterns of Biofuel crop/oil trade and determine the associated displacement of water and land use. We find that bioethanol is mostly produced with domestic crops while 36% of biodiesel consumption relies on international trade, mainly from Southeast Asia. Altogether, Biofuels rely on about 2-3% of the global water and land used for agriculture, which could feed about 30% of the malnourished population. We evaluate the food-energy tradeoff and the impact an increased reliance on Biofuel would have on the number of people the planet can feed.
Oscar Almazan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Biofuels environment technology and food security
Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2009Co-Authors: José C. Escobar, Electo S. Lora, Osvaldo J. Venturini, Edgar Yanez, Edgar Castillo, Oscar AlmazanAbstract:The imminent decline of the world's oil production, its high market prices and environmental impacts have made the production of Biofuels to reach unprecedent volumes over the last 10 years. This is why there have been intense debates among international organizations and political leaders in order to discuss the impacts of the Biofuel use intensification. Besides assessing the causes of the rise in the demand and production of Biofuels, this paper also shows the state of the art of their world's current production. It is also discussed different vegetable raw materials sources and technological paths to produce Biofuels, as well as issues regarding production cost and the relation of their economic feasibility with oil international prices. The environmental impacts of programs that encourage Biofuel production, farmland land requirements and the impacts on food production are also discussed, considering the life cycle analysis (LCA) as a tool. It is concluded that the rise in the use of Biofuels is inevitable and that international cooperation, regulations and certification mechanisms must be established regarding the use of land, the mitigation of environmental and social impacts caused by Biofuel production. It is also mandatory to establish appropriate working conditions and decent remuneration for workers of the Biofuels production chain.
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Biofuels: Environment, technology and food security
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2009Co-Authors: José C. Escobar, Electo S. Lora, Edgar E. Yáñez, Edgar F. Castillo, Osvaldo J. Venturini, Oscar AlmazanAbstract:The imminent decline of the world's oil production, its high market prices and environmental impacts have made the production of Biofuels to reach unprecedent volumes over the last 10 years. This is why there have been intense debates among international organizations and political leaders in order to discuss the impacts of the Biofuel use intensification. Besides assessing the causes of the rise in the demand and production of Biofuels, this paper also shows the state of the art of their world's current production. It is also discussed different vegetable raw materials sources and technological paths to produce Biofuels, as well as issues regarding production cost and the relation of their economic feasibility with oil international prices. The environmental impacts of programs that encourage Biofuel production, farmland land requirements and the impacts on food production are also discussed, considering the life cycle analysis (LCA) as a tool. It is concluded that the rise in the use of Biofuels is inevitable and that international cooperation, regulations and certification mechanisms must be established regarding the use of land, the mitigation of environmental and social impacts caused by Biofuel production. It is also mandatory to establish appropriate working conditions and decent remuneration for workers of the Biofuels production chain. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
